Symptoms

After denial, anger and bargaining, the inevitability of the news
eventually (and not before time) sinks in and the person reluctantly accepts that it is going to happen. From the
animation of anger and bargaining, they slump into a slough of despond. In this
deep depression, they see only a horrible end with nothing beyond it. In turning
in towards themselves, they turn away from any solution and any help that others
can give them.

Depression may be seen in a number of passive behaviors. In the
workplace, this includes physical absenteeism, long lunch breaks and mediocre
work performance. It can also appear in tearful and morose episodes where the
person's main concern is focused on their own world.

In this phase, the person may now be blaming themselves as they
take responsibility for their action where something has gone wrong. In previous
phases, they may have been blaming others or the situation.

Treatment

The first thing you can do with people who are in depression is to be there
with them, accepting them in all their misery. People who are depressed feel
very much alone and you company, even though it may not seem that way, is likely
to be welcome.

The second thing to do is to keep them moving. It is easy to get stuck in
depression, and the longer they stay there, the deeper into the mud they are
likely to slide. So keep up a steady stream of support, showing them that there
is light ahead and encouraging them to reach towards it.

In the workplace, provision of professional coaching, counselling and other
support can do a lot to help people recognize their depression and find a way to
clamber out of the pit.